Repeat Offender
by weaver61
Summary: This is a story based off of a comment in season one. Elliot is talking to Dickey's class and one of the boys asks him what to do if it is a family member who is hurting you. This takes place around 5 years after the episode. I don't own any of the charac


Based off of the comments made in Dickey's classroom by Detective Stabler during the episode 'Uncivilized' and takes place after Elliot's divorce. I wish I owned them. Oh well, I can play. :-)

* * *

He had hope now, there was someone else who knew. Dickie Stabler's father was a cop and he had talked to their class about what to do if someone tried to hurt them. Hurt, that was not the word he would use but he didn't know another, so he called it hurt. He was only seven, he shouldn't have to deal with this. It had gotten easier though, his dad had said he was getting too old for him. It would stop now, it had run it's course. He fell asleep.

Ben Richards ran out for a catch on the field, "Nuts!" he yelled as he came up short.

"Hey, Ben," Dickey kidded him, "you're kid brother catches better than that!"

Ben froze at the mention of Mitchell his five year old brother. That was why he had wanted to talk to Dickey today.

"Hey, what's wrong? Is Mitch ok?" Dickey asked. Ben looked into his friends eyes and remembered five years ago when Dickey's dad had looked at him the same way.

"No he's not." Ben looked around and saw the path by the river, "Can we talk down there?"

"Sure," Dickey even feels like his Dad thought Ben.

"Remember what your Dad said back when he came to our class? That I should tell you and you would tell him if someone was hurting me?" Ben was talking fast he had to get this out now. Dickey waited him out. "The abuse stopped right after that, he said I got too old. I was relieved when he stopped and I didn't think he would do it again." There were tears running down Ben's face now. Dickey just sat there, waiting for his friend to say it. "He started on Mitch two weeks ago. It's my fault Dickey, I should have told before and now Mitch is getting hurt!"

Dickey took his friends hand in his. He'd had a chance to watch his dad talk to a rape victim while he was in the hospital. He'd gotten out of bed to find his dad and had stood there afraid to move as he watched and listened to part of what his dad did. When Elliot realized his son was there he was too deep in the conversation to let it go and he had finished it, the girl had been none the wiser. When Elliot had looked for Dickey he was already on his way back to bed. Elliot had picked him up and carried him there. They hadn't talked about it much but Dickey now had a handle on why his dad was so dedicated to his job. He also knew his parents marriage was finished that night, Dad was a cop and his mom's demand that he resign had killed any love they had between them. Now he was even more grateful that he had seen his dad talk to that girl, he had an idea what to say to his friend.

"Ben, did you ask him to do it? Did you do it?"

"No!" Ben's reaction was swift and almost physical.

"Then how is it your fault?" Dickey asked in the same tone his dad had used, gentle no judgment.

"I should have told," Ben' voice was full of despair.

"You said it yourself, he stopped. How were you supposed to know he would start again." Dickey turned to look straight at his friend, "We have to go talk to my Dad."

"When?" Ben asked.

"Right now," Dickey told him and pulled Ben to his feet. The two boys went in search of the bus stop.

* * *

They asked the driver for directions and he told them how to get where they were going. They followed his directions and got to the subway. Then they read the maps and caught the train to Manhattan. Dickey was a little worried that his mom would come home too soon, but he had left a message on the machine that would tell her where he was going. He had told her he was helping a friend and he hoped she understood. They got off the subway and he saw the doors of the 1-6, he and Ben walked in and they headed up to the 8th floor where his dad's unit was. They walked in to a relatively quiet day, Fin was in court and his dad, Olivia and Uncle John were clearing paperwork. 

Elliot Stabler looked up from the report he was filling out and saw his son, standing there with another boy. Oh no he thought, and then realized that Dickey was guiding his friend, not the other way around. "Hey buddy, what's up?" Elliot asked his son.

"Ben needs to talk to you Dad," Dickey told him.

"Sure, why don't we use room one Ben." Elliot hesitated, "Does your mother know where you are?" he asked Dickey.

"Sort of," Dickey told him.

Elliot just raised his eyes heavenward, "How 'bout you make it more than sort of?"

"Ok," Dickey agreed, sitting in his dad's chair so that he could use his phone.

Olivia looked up when he was done, "That was better than I thought it would be," she commented. "at least from this end."

Dickey grinned a little, embarrassed,. "Yeah, I'm grounded for a week. I've got exams anyway."

Olivia laughed, Dickey was a chip off of Elliot alright. "What happened?"

Dickey looked at her, "Remember when dad talked to my class five years ago?"

Olivia nodded, "Yeah, he said we might get a call but we never did."

"Ben got too old for his dad and he stopped right after Dad talked to us," Dickey told her.

"Why now then?" John asked.

"Because, Uncle John, he has a five year old brother."

"Shit, let me guess, Ben is blaming himself," John commented.

"Yeah, I tried to talk him out of it but I figure Dad can do it better," Dickie told him.

"Nice work," complimented Olivia.

Dickey talked some more with them and waited for his dad to finish with Ben.

* * *

Interrogation Room One

The room is comfortable, it's a room meant for questioning victims and witnesses, not suspects. Ben sits down, wondering if this is still a good idea. Then he starts talking to Elliot.

"Remember when you talked to our class?" Ben asks the detective.

"Yeah," Elliot sits down across from Ben.

"It stopped right after, that's why I never told."

"What stopped Ben?" Elliot asked. He has an idea but the boy has to say it.

"My dad was sleeping with me and doing stuff to me. I didn't want him to but I couldn't make him stop."

"Why did he?" Elliot asks.

"I got too old he said," there is still shame in the boys voice, "he wasn't interested anymore. I was glad so I didn't say anything. I thought it was over."

"What happened to make it start again?"

"My little brother Mitchell turned five, that's when he started with me, and my mom left so he is a lot worse this time. I live with her and Mitch lives with Dad most of the time." Ben can't look at Elliot he is so ashamed, Dickey doesn't blame him but this is the man who offered to help and he ignored it.

"Ben, listen to me, it isn't your fault." Elliot takes the boy's small hands in his big ones. "You didn't ask for him to abuse you, or your brother and you certainly didn't abuse your brother yourself did you?"

"No, I wouldn't Mr. Stabler." Ben tells him.

"I know you wouldn't," Elliot hesitates for a moment and then, "Ben would you be willing to file a complaint for yourself against your father?"

"Isn't it too late?" Ben asked him.

"Nope, statute of limitations hasn't run out."

"Statute of what?" Ben is interested a little.

"Limitations, it tells us how long we have to catch somebody for a crime," Elliot tells him.

"Oh, then yes I want to." Ben nods his head. "If it will help Mitch," he qualifies.

"It will, see if we arrest him for what he did to you it gets him away from your brother." Elliot continues, "I'm not going to kid you Ben, you're brave for getting this far, a lot of adults can't, but what comes next can be as tough on you as the abuse you endured."

"Like what?"

"We need you to go to the hospital to be examined by a doctor. Even though it was awhile ago there might still be something. Also you will have to go over everything he did to you in detail. Both with me and with the prosecutor." Elliot stopped there he didn't want to scare the boy more than he was already, "Look Ben, if it gets to be too much you let us know ok?"

"Ok, I still want to do it. Do I need to see a psych?" he asked.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea if you did," Elliot looked at the boy. "Not just for us but for yourself."

Ben nodded, "What do I need to do, and will you stay with me Mr. Stabler?"

"I'll stay with you," Elliot assured him. "Will you wait here for a moment? I want to make sure Dickey has a ride home."

"He isn't in trouble is he?"

"Not with me he isn't and I will talk to his mother, ok?" Elliot assures the boy with a small grin.

"Thanks, I'm sorry about not coming sooner."

"You don't have a thing to be sorry for, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Elliot goes into the bullpen to find Olivia and Dickey engaged in a game of catch with Fin's Nerf ball. Olivia throws it at him and he catches it.

"Did you call your mother?" he asks his son.

"Yeah, I'm grounded for a week. I've got exams though so it's cool," Dickey tells him.

"Ok, well I'll talk to her if you want," Elliot offers.

"No, it's ok Dad." Elliot looks surprised but says nothing more about it.

"How are you getting home?"

"The same way I got here?" Dickey tells him with a grin, knowing that it won't fly.

"Try again," Elliot tells him.

"Mom said she would pay for a cab," he admits. "She isn't really mad about what I did just how I did it."

"Fine," Elliot looks at his partner. "Liv I'm going to take Ben to the hospital for an exam, would you call Casey? Ben's going to press the initial charges."

"I'll get right on it," she assures him, "call me when you have the results."

"Dickey can you come over here for a minute?" Elliot asks his son.

They go into the captains office which is empty at the moment. Elliot hugs his son tight, "Good job buddy, " he tells him.

"Thanks," Dickey hugs his father back, "you know, I knew you were mad that I heard you with that girl in the hospital, but if I hadn't I couldn't have helped Ben."

"I was never mad at you Dickey," Elliot assures his son, "I was concerned that you were hearing things I didn't think you were ready for."

"Oh, what happens now?"

"Now you call a cab and I take your friend to the hospital. I'll keep you as posted as I can." He hesitates, "He's going to need you and there will be times where it'll be hard on both of you."

"I know," Dickey pulls away from his father and smiles a little, "I'll be there."

"I know you will, but if it gets to be too much call me, got it?"

"Got it."

Dickey goes to call a cab for the ride home and Elliot and Ben head for Bellevue hospital.

* * *

Ben figures the hospital can't be worse than what his father did to him, it isn't but not by much. The doctor looks at his body and then she does an internal exam. Elliot stays with him the whole time, talking about anything and everything. I wish I had a father like this he thinks, no wonder Dickey loves him so much. 

Elliot excuses himself to talk to the doctor. When they are out of Ben's hearing, "Well Doc?"

"I found clear signs of sexual trauma to the rectum, otherwise he looks to be in very good health. I ordered the standard tests to be done just in case. Is social services going to be taking the boy?"

"Probably, his brother too." Elliot confirms. "You will probably have a five year old in here in a few hours."

"So that's why he reported this now?" Doctor Chatham asked.

"Yeah, he's a friend of my son. Dickey brought him into the unit when he found out."

"I'd like to meet your son detective," the doctor says with a bit of admiration in her voice.

Elliot just smiles and goes back to tell Ben that they are going back to the house so he can call his mother. Ben just shrugs at that and tells him he will be surprised if his mom is home. She isn't so Ben stays at the unit until they can figure out what to do with him.

Two hours later they are at Donald Richards' apartment. He and Olivia knock on the door and it is answered by a man in his forties. "Donald Richards?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"Detectives Stabler and Benson, you are under arrest for the sexual abuse of your son Ben. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney and if you can not afford one, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?" Elliot tells him as he cuffs the man and Olivia enters the apartment in search of Mitchell Richards.

She found the five year old boy in his room. "Hi, Mitchell. My name is Olivia and I'm a police officer," she tells him as she shows him her badge.

"Am I in trouble?" he asks in a small voice.

"No sweetheart your not in trouble, we came to help you," Olivia tries to reassure him.

"I wet the bed again," he whispers. "Dad will be really mad and he'll punish me."

"Mitchell, your dad will never punish you again. My partner just arrested him for hurting your brother Ben." Olivia touches the boys face, "Tell you what, why don't we get you into some clothes and I'll take you to your brother, ok?"

"Ok." Mitchell takes off the covers and starts to get up, but what Olivia sees makes her stop him.

"You know Mitchell, I think we need some help here. I'm going to call someone." Olivia gets out her cell-phone and calls for an ambulance just as Elliot reaches the room to see the boy's sheets covered in blood.

The two detectives stay with the boy until the EMTs get there. The whole time they keep him talking and Olivia rides in with him to the hospital.

When they get to Bellevue Dr. Chatham is expecting them. She takes charge of the little boy and Olivia is left to sit and wait. Elliot is helping CSU process the apartment. He arrives when they are done with Ben in tow and the three of them sit down to wait.

"Detective Benson," greets Dr. Chatham, "Detective Stabler, Ben."

Olivia walks with the doctor to get the full report.

"He was bleeding from a serious tear in his rectum, he is up in surgery right now to repair it." The doctor continued, "I found numerous burns, bruises and cuts that are all fairly recent."

"The older brother said that it just started a couple of weeks ago."

"That fits what I saw," the doctor confirms. It will probably be another hour or so before he is out of surgery."

"We'll wait," Olivia tells her.

They take Ben to get some dinner, when they get back Mitchell is out of surgery and in recovery. The doctor lets Ben in with Olivia to see his brother for a few minutes. "He'll probably be out of it until the morning," the surgeon tells Elliot. "He was lucky you found him when you did, he probably would have bled out. He seemed to think he had only wet the bed and he was too scared to tell his father."

"Yeah, well we arrested the bastard for abusing his older son. Now we get to add a few more charges."

"This kid was in bad shape, put him away for a long time please."

"That's the idea Doc.," Elliot assures him.

"Hey guys," he calls to his partner and Ben. "there's nothing we can do here tonight. How about we find you a bed to sleep in Ben."

"Sure, where though?" the 12 year old asks. Olivia's raises her eyebrow at Elliot and he shakes his head. He'll tell her later.

"Well if you don't mind a cot you can stay in the Crib at the station. I'll be there all night, I've got a ton of paperwork to catch up on."

"Yes you do," Olivia comments. "Which wouldn't get so bad if….."

"Don't even go there partner," Elliot warns playfully.

She just rolls her eyes, and Ben laughs a little.

At the 1-6 as Ben gets ready for bed Elliot tells her what is keeping Ben with them.

"John and Fin went to talk to the mother and she had all of his bags packed, he was supposed to stay with his father this weekend and she was pissed off that he wouldn't be." Elliot shakes his head, "When they went in to get the bags, which were for a lot more than just a weekend, they saw cocaine on the coffee table so they busted her for possession."

"God, can anything else go wrong for this kid?" Olivia asks.

"Well, we have him now. You know who he reminds me of?" Elliot asks her.

"No, who?"

"You," Olivia is startled. "He has almost the same circumstances as you did, and he is doing what you would do, take care of someone else who is weaker than he is."

Olivia doesn't react for a moment, then "Thanks."

"Go home Liv, get some sleep."

"Sure, will you at least get some yourself?" she asks.

"Yeah, the paperwork is really an excuse. I figure a couple of hours tops. I'll be in the Crib by midnight," he assures her.

"You'd better be, I don't want a cranky partner tomorrow." Olivia smiles, "How about I bring breakfast for three tomorrow?"

"Sounds good to me, it will be something normal for him anyway."

"See you in the morning." Olivia calls as she leaves the unit.

Elliot goes upstairs to check on Ben who is sound asleep on one of the upper cots. He smiles, that's where Dickey likes to sleep too. He goes down to finish his reports and is done by eleven thirty. He undresses enough to be comfortable and lies down on a cot near Ben so he will see him when he wakes up.

* * *

The next morning he is woken by Ben. "Hey, Olivia said to tell you if you don't get up soon she'll give your breakfast to John."

"What time is it?" Elliot asks.

"Seven thirty." Ben grins.

Elliot groans and gets up, Ben is already dressed, "Well I went to sleep before you did."

"Yeah, I don't usually get eight hours," Elliot admits as he heads for the showers, Olivia bless her, brought him a change of clothes.

"Good morning sleepyheads," she teases. The smells coming from their small break room are heavenly and the three of them dig in.

Cragen comes in as they are eating and joins them. They talk of anything but the case at the table, and Olivia and Ben offer to clean up since the captain wants to talk to Elliot.

"Elliot, how is Ben holding up?" Cragen asks him.

"So far very well, considering he has now lost both parents." Since that seemed to be news to Cragen he fills him in about the cocaine at the mothers house.

"What are we going to do with Ben now?" Cragen asks.

Elliot shrugs casually, "I thought he could stay with me for at least a few days. I don't want the brothers separated Don."

"Why don't you take a couple days off, starting today. Go get Dickey and the three of you go off somewhere. We have Ben's statement and I doubt his brother will be able to make one before Monday anyway."

Elliot considers, it isn't his weekend for the twins, but he calls and asks and Kathy is more than willing. Apparently Dickey told her a little more when he got home and he was no longer grounded.

Elliot goes back to the break room and suggests that they go to the hospital and Ben is eager to go. Elliot tells Olivia Cragen's suggestion and tells her he'll see her on Monday.

"Thanks, Cap." Olivia tells Cragen after Elliot and Ben are gone.

"They both need it Olivia. Elliot has all of his stuff done?" he asked.

"Yeah he actually worked last night," she laughs.

Ben and Elliot spend a couple of hours with Mitchell, but it's obvious that Mitch is still pretty weak. Elliot tells Ben the Captain's suggestion and at first he is reluctant thinking he is intruding on Elliot's time with his son.

"Hey, I like spending time with you and it will probably be more fun for Dickey if he has a friend his age along," Elliot assures Ben.

"Ok, there he is on the steps."

Elliot stops the car and Dickey gets into the back seat with his friend. "Hey where are we going?" Dickey asks.

"I thought we would go see a game, the minor league team is in town," his dad suggests.

"Cool, Lizzie would be bored to tears."

"She has a recital tonight doesn't she?" Elliot asks.

"Yeah, she's getting pretty good," Dickey grudgingly admits.

Elliot laughs and drives to the game. That night he sits with his family and watches his daughter dance. Ben is with him, he isn't ready to leave him alone yet and Kathy didn't mind Dickey's friend coming along.

The next day he takes Ben to see his brother and they spend the rest of it in the park talking. On Monday Olivia will get Mitchell's statement and he and Casey will try to get Richards to cop a plea so that they can avoid putting the brothers through a trial.

* * *

Monday morning Rikers prison

Elliot Stabler and ADA Casey Novak are trying to get Donald Richards to admit that he raped and abused both his sons. His lawyer is more than ready to deal but Richards isn't, yet. Casey sits at the table, Elliot standing at her shoulder.

"Mr. Thomas, I am willing to cut a deal, I suggest you inform your client of the weight of the evidence against him. Two counts sexual abuse of a minor to be served concurrently and one count of physical abuse to be served consecutively, total years 20 to 25. Also his parental rights will be severed"

"My client insists he has done nothing wrong Ms. Novak," the defense attorney tells her.

"Really, he sodomized his oldest son from the age of five until he turned eight. Then when he got custody of his younger son he repeated the abuse but he was even more vicious. He sodomized him so aggressively he tore the boy's rectum. The boy was so traumatized that he would have lain there till he died. If my partner and I hadn't arrived that day to arrest Richards for abusing Ben, Mitchell would have bled out." Elliot's voice is controlled and deadly, "I suggest that your client consider the fact that we could be tacking a lot more charges onto him, so many that when he is convicted he won't see daylight for the rest of his life."

"My sons won't testify against me," Richards is confident.

"Think again, Mr. Richards. The reason that Detective Stabler arrested you on Friday was because your eldest child had managed to make his way to the SV unit to make his complaint against you," Casey's voice is as controlled as Elliot's. "He has displayed a great deal of courage and I doubt that will disappear at trial." Casey starts to get up, "This offer is good until I walk out of this room, then I take you to trial."

Richards is talking to his lawyer and it looks like the man has come to his senses. "Deal, Ms. Novak."

"Good I'll see you both in court for sentencing." Casey tells them as Elliot calls for the guard to open the door.

The two of them are walking out of the prison when Thomas, the defense attorney, runs up to them. "Detective Stabler," he is out of breath from running.

"Slow down, catch your breath," Elliot tells him as he puts out a hand to steady the man.

"I tried to convince him that it wouldn't matter if the boys testified against him or not, you have the evidence. He is convinced that if he 'makes the boys go away' the charges will evaporate," the lawyer tells them. "He says he has friends that he has already contacted and they will take care of the problem."

Elliot looks stunned and then he is pulling out his phone, "Captain, we need a protective detail on the Richards boys ASAP. His lawyer just let us know the bastard threatened them." Elliot listens for a moment, "I'm going back in to check who he might have contacted." He listens for a moment more and then says "Got it Cap, Thanks."

"Casey will you give me a hand," he asks and she nods. "Mr. Thomas, thank you. There aren't many lawyers who would have let us know."

"Detective, Ms. Novak, I believe in giving my clients the best I have for them, but when one of them threatens a child….." he trails off. "I am going to have to approach the judge to have myself removed from the case, I just became one of your witnesses." He nods to them and heads off to do just that.

"Let's go Elliot," Casey says as he continues to look after Thomas.

Elliot shakes himself, "Coming."

They review the prison logs but can't find anything that tells them who Richards contacted. Elliot decides to have a little conversation with one of his informants and asks Casey to come with. She is a little surprised but agrees, usually cops don't want their snitches known. Then she gets Elliot's ploy, he wants the general population to think it's an interrogation. The man is brought in and he greets Elliot warily, not sure what is up.

"Jimmy, this is ADA Casey Novak, she's here so this looks good to the rest of them, ok?" Elliot asks.

"Fine," Jimmy answers.

"Jimmy, there is a guy we brought in on Friday, Richards. Word is he threatened the two witnesses against him, his five and twelve year old sons." Elliot looks at his informant for a moment, "Has anyone passed any messages out for him that you know of?"

Casey is watching the two men, she has never seen this before and doubts she will again so she files it all away for future reference.

"I haven't heard anything Detective Stabler, but I will check around see if anyone has done any 'favors'," Jimmy assures him. "Have you seen Marcus?"

"Yeah," Elliot relaxes just a bit, "he won an essay contest at school last month and he got that scholarship to Rice University."

Jimmy's face shines with pride, "Thanks Detective, I'll contact you the usual way."

Elliot nods, "Myself or Ms. Novak," he gets up and calls for the guard, his expression guarded again and Casey hides her astonishment well as the guard takes Jimmy away. Then they leave.

When they are outside and in Elliot's car, "What are you doing Elliot?"

"I need someone else to know who he is, I trust you won't abuse the knowledge," Elliot shrugs.

"I'm honored you trust me that much, but why? And who is Marcus?" Casey asks.

"Marcus is the reason I need someone to know about Jimmy," Elliot smiles, "He's Jimmy's son."

"And your keeping an eye on him," it's a statement not a question, but Elliot answers her.

"Yes, I'll have the file on your desk by morning. It's eyes only Casey."

"You don't have to tell me twice she assures him." Casey sits for awhile as Elliot fights traffic to get her back to her office. "Elliot, who was your alternate before?"

"Alex," he tells her and she nods. "I know that it isn't usual to give this to an ADA but if you need information badly enough go ahead and ask him, just be careful not to do it too often."

"Thank you." Elliot nods.

"Here we are, door to door service," he says with a smile.

"Call me if you hear anything about the boys," Casey is grim, "I'm going to file everything we have against him, he blew the deal when he threatened the kids."

Elliot agrees and drives to the precinct, satisfied that if anything happens to him Marcus and Jimmy will be taken care of.

Elliot knocks on Cragen's doorframe, "Come in Elliot."

Elliot does so and closes the door, "We didn't find anything, but I put one of my snitches on it."

"Good, because someone has already tried," Cragen tells him.

"Damn, did we get him?" Elliot asks.

"No, the details hadn't gotten there yet. Both boys are at the hospital at the moment and I think it would be a good idea if they stay together for now."

"Yeah, I'm going to take Olivia and canvass his neighborhood, see if anyone there can give me any ideas on who he might call on," Elliot tells Cragen.

"Good, I've got John and Fin at the hospital checking out the attempt that was made."

Elliot nods and goes to get Olivia, on the way out he calls Casey and tells her about the attempt on the boys.

"Damn, and what will happen when they have to go to foster care?" Casey asks.

"Well, we can stop that for now because of the threat to their lives, but eventually they need to be with a family, together," Elliot tells her.

Olivia who is driving nods her head in agreement with that last statement.

"I'll see what I can do El'," Casey promises and Elliot thanks her and hangs up.

* * *

They spend the day and manage to come up with a few names, then Elliot gets a call from Casey to meet her at the hospital. Elliot drives there and goes up to the boys room with Olivia. Casey, is waiting for him and passes him a slip of paper with a name on it. Neither acknowledges the move, "Elliot, I think I've solved our problem."

Elliot looks at her and asks, "Which one?"

"The foster care for the boys," Casey looks pleased with herself.

"Ok, what did you come up with?" Olivia asks her.

"I'll take them until the trial is over," Casey tells them.

The two detectives are stunned, "Whoa, do you know what you're in for?" asks Elliot.

"It can't be that bad, and it's only through the trial," Casey tells him.

"Are you going to have a conflict of interest problem?" Olivia asked her.

"I checked with Judge Petrovsky and she said that she has no problem with it, neither does Richards new lawyer," Casey assured them. She was waiting for their opinion, she had to admit it mattered to her, now, what they thought. It hadn't been easy reaching this place, with these two in particular. Alex's 'death' had ripped them apart emotionally and they had hated her for awhile. It had hurt, but knowing why had made it easier and eventually she had found her way in.

"You're a brave woman Casey Novak," Elliot told her.

"Did you talk to the boys yet?" Olivia asked.

"No I was waiting for you, I wanted to make sure you were ok with it."

"So, go tell them," Elliot told the officer guarding the boys room that Casey Novak was to have full access to her foster sons. He added her name to the list and she knocked on the door. "Come in," called Ben.

"Hey guys," Casey greeted them, "how are you feeling Mitch?"

"Better, but I'm bored," he told her with five year old honesty.

"Well, I'll see what I can do about that," Casey suddenly felt nervous, these boys have been through so much she thought. "I had an idea Ben."

"What about Ms. Novak?" he asked her.

"Well the two of you need a place to stay right?"

"Yeah, I guess we go to foster care," Ben said, he wasn't happy they had told him they might be split up.

"Well not quite yet, I asked and they said you could both stay with me at least until the trial is over." Ben didn't look convinced, "And Ben, I promise that wherever you go after that it will be together, ok?"

The smile came out, "Ok, Ms. Novak."

"My name is Casey."

"Casey," said Mitch and he smiled.

Casey smiled back, her boys at least for awhile.

Outside the room Elliot and Olivia smiled and headed back for their car, once inside Elliot took out the slip of paper that Casey had given him. It has a name on it, Paul Ketteridge. He showed it to Olivia and she smiled grimly, it was one of their names. They went to find Mr. Paul Ketteridge and bring him in for a little chat.

* * *

It had been a profitable chat, he had indeed been the contact for Richards. He gave them the name of the man who had made the attempt and they brought him in too. He gave it up with very little prodding and Casey and Elliot went back to Richards to tell him he had one last chance to deal but the ante had just gone up, forty to fifty now with the extra charges for contract murder tacked on. The man had deflated considerably and he took the deal, it appeared that the word had gotten out that he was a child abuser and he was a little worse for wear. Elliot looked at Casey and wondered but decided not to ask. Mama bears were very protective he knew and Casey had proven that she was more than a match for Alex in her willingness to do end runs around obstacles.

Two months later

"Hey, did you get any sleep last night?" Elliot asked Casey when she came into the squad room one morning.

"A few winks, Mitch had a huge fever and I had to take him to the ER." Casey flopped down into the nearest chair.

"So, when do your charges go to another home?" Olivia asked.

"They don't," Casey told her.

"What are you saying?" Elliot asked.

"They are my boys now, I got Petrovsky to push it through right after sentencing." Casey smiled.

"So, how are you going to manage?" Fin asked.

Casey shrugged. "I found a nanny for the kids when they aren't in school, I've got emergency contacts in case I can't get them on time, I'll manage."

"Hey Casey don't forget to put us on that list," John reminded her.

"I won't forget," she promised. "What do you guys have for me?"

They got down to the case they were working and Casey promised to get them the warrants they needed. A couple were a little iffy but she had been doing this long enough now she knew who to approach to get them. She smiled a little, yeah she was tired but it was worth it. She had two boys who depended on her now and a squad of detectives who had become friends. Life is good, she thought as she entered Lena Petrovsky's chambers to request the warrants she needed.

"Here you are counselor, what happened, an all-nighter?" the judge asked her.

"Yeah, at the ER, Mitch had a 104 fever. It's down now thank heaven." Casey told her.

"I did warn you," but the judge is smiling.

"Everyone did, but you know, it's worth it." Casey stretched and picked up the signed warrants and headed back to the SVU so that her detectives could get the evidence she needed to put a particularly nasty piece of trash away.


End file.
